This invention relates to a communication system for carrying out communication among at least three communication devices.
In a conventional teleconferencing system, images and sounds in a plurality of remote conference rooms are communicated with one another via a network and the images and sounds in the other conference rooms are presented in each conference room, thus making it possible to hold a conference as if all the participants were sitting around a single table.
In the conventional teleconferencing system, the participants in the respective conference rooms can speak simultaneously. Therefore, in the conventional teleconferencing system, when a plurality of participants are speaking simultaneously, it is difficult to hear a particular remark which is disturbed by the other remarks.
Moreover, in the conventional teleconferencing system, images in all the conference rooms are presented with the same brightness and the same image quality. Therefore, in the conventional teleconferencing system, it is not considered to see an image of a desired conference room with a higher brightness or more in detail.
Furthermore, in the conventional teleconferencing system, it is not considered that, for example, when a plurality of subjects exist, a remark made by each participant with respect to a certain subject is made easier to hear or see for the other participants in the same subject.
In view of the foregoing status of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a communication system, a grouping device, a grouping method, a recording medium having a grouping program recorded thereon, an information processing device, an information processing method, a recording medium having an information processing program recorded thereon, a communication device, a communication method, and a recording medium having a communication program recorded thereon which enable making remarks by respective participants in the same subject particularly easier to hear or see.
A communication system according to the present invention comprises: at least three communication devices, each having attention degree prediction information acquisition means for acquiring attention degree prediction information for detecting an attention degree for communication data communicated from each of the other communication devices, and communication data output means for outputting the communication data processed on the basis of group information to a corresponding presentation device; an attention degree detection device having attention degree detection means for detecting the attention degree on the basis of the attention degree prediction information, and attention degree output means for outputting the attention degree; a grouping device having grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree, and group information output means for outputting the group information indicating the result of grouping; and a processing device having processing means for processing the communication data transmitted to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices on the basis of the group information, and processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means.
Also, a communication system according to the present invention comprises: at least three communication devices, each having attention degree prediction information acquisition means for acquiring attention degree prediction information for detecting the attention degree for communication data communicated from each of the other communication devices, and communication data output means for outputting the communication data processed on the basis of group information to a corresponding presentation device; an attention degree detection device having attention degree detection means for detecting an attention degree on the basis of the attention degree prediction information, and attention degree output means for outputting the attention degree; a grouping device having grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree, and group information output means for outputting the group information indicating the result of grouping; and a processing device having processing means for processing the communication data transmitted to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices on the basis of the group information, and processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means.
A grouping device according to the present invention is used in a communication system including at least three communication devices and is adapted for grouping communication data communicated to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices. The grouping device comprises: grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of an attention degree for each of the communication data from the other communication devices, of a user corresponding to each of the communication devices; and group information output means for outputting group information indicating the result of grouping by the grouping means.
A grouping method according to the present invention is used in a communication system including at least three communication devices and is adapted for grouping communication data communicated to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices. The grouping method comprises: a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of an attention degree for each of the communication data from the other communication devices, of a user corresponding to each of the communication devices; and a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of grouping at the grouping step.
A recording medium according to the present invention is used in a communication system including at least three communication devices and has recorded thereon a computer-controllable grouping program for grouping communication data communicated to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices. The grouping program comprises: a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of an attention degree for each of the communication data from the other communication devices, of a user corresponding to each of the communication devices; and a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of grouping at the grouping step.
An information processing device in a communication system including the information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: receiving means for receiving communication data from each of the communication devices and receiving an attention degree which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which is related to the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself; grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; processing means for processing the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself, with respect to each of the communication devices, on the basis of a group to which the communication data belong; and processed data output means for transmitting the communication data processed by the processing means to each of the communication devices.
In the information processing device, the receiving means receives user reaction information which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which corresponds to each of the communication devices, in place of the attention degree, and the information processing device further comprises attention degree detection means for detecting the attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information.
An information processing method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: a receiving step of receiving communication data from each of the communication devices and receiving an attention degree which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which is related to the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself; a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; a processing step of processing the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself, with respect to each of the communication devices, on the basis of a group to which the communication data belong; and a processed data output step of transmitting the communication data processed at the processing step to each of the communication devices.
In the information processing method, at the receiving step, user reaction information which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which corresponds to each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and the information processing method further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting the attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information.
A recording medium according to the present invention has recorded thereon a computer-controllable information processing program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices. The information processing program comprises: a receiving step of receiving communication data from each of the communication devices and receiving an attention degree which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which is related to the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself; a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; a processing step of processing the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself, with respect to each of the communication devices, on the basis of a group to which the communication data belong; and a processed data output step of transmitting the communication data processed at the processing step to each of the communication devices.
In the recording medium having the information processing program recorded thereon, at the receiving step, user reaction information which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which corresponds to each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and the information processing program further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting the attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information.
A communication device in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: receiving means for receiving communication data from the other communication devices and receiving group information indicating a group to which communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong; information acquisition means for acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices; attention degree detection means for detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information; attention degree output means for outputting the attention degree to the information processing device; processing means for processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means to a presentation device.
A communication method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: a first receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices; an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices; an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information; an attention degree output step of outputting the attention degree to the information processing device; a second receiving step of receiving group information indicating a group to which communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong; a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.
A recording medium according to the present invention has recorded thereon a computer-controllable communication program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices. The communication program comprises: a first receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices; an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices; an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information; an attention degree output step of outputting the attention degree to the information processing device; a second receiving step of receiving group information indicating a group to which communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong; a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.
An information processing device in a communication system including the information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: receiving means for receiving an attention degree for communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices; grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; and group information output means for outputting group information indicating the result of grouping by the grouping means.
In the information processing device, the receiving means receives the communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices in place of the attention degree, and the information processing device further comprises attention degree detection means for detecting an attention degree of a user for each of the communication data.
An information processing method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: a receiving step of receiving an attention degree for communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices; a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; and a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of grouping at the grouping step.
In the information processing method, at the receiving step, the communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and the information processing method further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree of a user for each of the communication data.
A recording medium according to the present invention has recorded thereon a computer-controllable information processing program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices. The information processing program comprises: a receiving step of receiving an attention degree for communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices; a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; and a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of grouping at the grouping step.
In the recording medium having the information processing program recorded thereon, at the receiving step, the communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and the information processing program further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree of a user for each of the communication data.
A communication device in a communication system for carrying out communication among at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: a receiving section for receiving communication data from the other communication devices; information acquisition means for acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices; attention degree detection means for detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information; grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; processing means for processing each of the communication data on the basis of a group to which each of the communication data belongs; and processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means to a presentation device.
A communication method in a communication system for carrying out communication among at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: a receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices; an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices; an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information; a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; a processing step of processing each of the communication data on the basis of a group to which each of the communication data belongs; and a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing means to a presentation device.
A recording medium according to the present invention has recorded thereon a computer-controllable communication program in a communication system for carrying out communication among at least three communication devices. The communication program comprises: a receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices; an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices; an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information; a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; a processing step of processing each of the communication data on the basis of a group to which each of the communication data belongs; and a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing means to a presentation device.
A communication device in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: information acquisition means for acquiring user reaction information for each of communication data from the communication devices; communication means for receiving communication data from the information processing device and group information indicating a group to which the communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong, and for transmitting the user reaction information to the information processing device; processing means for processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means to a presentation device.
A communication method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices according to the present invention comprises: an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of communication data from the communication devices; a transmission step of transmitting the user reaction information to the information processing device; a receiving step of receiving communication data from the information processing device and group information indicating a group to which the communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong; a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and a processed data output step outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.
A recording medium according to the present invention has recorded thereon a computer-controllable communication program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices. The communication program comprises: an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of communication data from the communication devices; a transmission step of transmitting the user reaction information to the information processing device; a receiving step of receiving communication data from the information processing device and group information indicating a group to which the communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong; a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and a processed data output step outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.